Signal breakers beware!

By Amit Singh |Posted 04-Oct-2011

Lawbreakers will be fined Rs 1,000 for jumping signals. Also, police officials are planning to get volunteers to help them track offenders and act as witnesses

Next time you jump a traffic light in the national Capital, be ready to shell out a hefty sum. After the tragic incident on Sunday near Rajpath, where three Air Force personnel were killed when a Skoda car jumped a signal and rammed into their Maruti Omnivan, Delhi police have decided to challan signal jumping with a fine of Rs 1,000. Also, they are seeking volunteers who can be eyewitnesses to such offences.

Well deserved: A Delhi traffic police crane tows away a wrongly parked vehicle, at Chittaranjan Park in New Delhi, on Monday. Pic/Subhash Barolia

On FacebookIn a message posted on Monday by joint commissioner of police (traffic), Satyendra Garg on Facebook, Delhi traffic police say that they are willing to take people on board. Those who can spare sometime for a drive against signal jumping with enhanced fines can volunteer.

"Looking at yesterday's tragic accident where three persons lost their lives because of a car jumping a signal, I have thought over the issue and we feel that there is an urgent need to stop this practice. We are ready to challan signal jumping and dangerous driving with a fine of Rs 1,000, if a witness is present."

"Those who think they can spare sometime for road safety can volunteer to work at their convenience with the traffic police. We will prosecute those jumping signals with increased fine from now on. Here we will have general public to witness signal jumping vehicles. "This will also ensure transparent working of traffic police with public participation," the message furthers read.

Helpful publicSpeaking to MiD-DAY, Garg said they have received an overwhelming response from the public and will soon start calling volunteers for filling up of the forms. "In a day or two we would ask them to come and fill up the volunteers' form mentioning their full details. We will also be doing a background check on them so that there is no foul play. We would be placing them at important and busy traffic junctions in the city."

Putting forth his views about the urgent need for more strict rules and regulations, Garg added, "The job is very easy and requires no formal training. The volunteers just need to be active and vigil. Citizens should also show self-discipline and civilised behaviour on roads."